The Democratic Republic of Congo's government has issued an arrest warrant for Moise Katumbi, an opposition leader planning a possible election challenge to President Joseph Kabila. Government spokesman Lambert Mende said on Thursday that the arrest warrant was issued after Katumbi was indicted on a charge of hiring mercenaries.

The Congolese government has confirmed reports by the United Nations mission in DR Congo and Human Rights Watch that former rebels led by wanted war crimes suspect Bosco Ntaganda have received reinforcements from Rwanda.

President Joseph Kabila named the members of the new government led by Prime Minister Matata Ponyo on Saturday. The new cabinet will have thirty six members, including two deputy prime ministers, twenty five ministers, one minister-delegate and eight deputy ministers.

President Joseph Kabila named former finance minister Matata Ponyo as the new prime minister on Wednesday. Known as a technocrat, Mr. Ponyo oversaw a 7 percent economic growth in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2010 and a $12.3 billion debt cancellation. The World Bank said last week it expects the same growth rate in DR Congo for the next two years.

Prime Minister Adolphe Muzito tendered his resignation to President Joseph Kabila on Tuesday. The procedural move will allow President Kabila to form a new government following the Nov. 28 presidential and parliamentary elections, Mr. Muzito told reporters after the meeting.

Government spokesman Lambert Mende called into question the mental health of veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi on Monday, a day after the main challenger to President Joseph Kabila in the November 28 presidential election made incoherent and incendiary statements during an interview.

The Minister of Communication and Media, Lambert Mende, said on Wednesday that the government will ensure peace and security during the upcoming elections. “We have all the resources we need to ensure peaceful elections,” Mr. Mende told reporters during a press conference in Kinshasa.

The Congolese government has given an additional $30 million US to the Independent National Electoral Commission, the chairman of INEC, Daniel Ngoy Mulunda, said on Tuesday in Kinshasa. INEC announced on Sunday that 31 million people have registered to vote in the upcoming elections.

A decree published this week by the Democratic Republic of Congo commits the government to disclose all natural resource contracts within 60 days of their coming into effect. The decision is a welcome move which could help reduce corruption in the country if fully implemented, Global Witness said today.

President Joseph Kabila has sacked Minister of Transportation Laure-Marie Kawanda after two boat accidents left dozens killed and others missing in a span of a little over a week. Government spokesman Lambert Mende said that Kawanda was ultimately accountable for the negligence in the sector that led to the accidents.